


There and Back Again

by DaerisDurin



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-11
Updated: 2016-02-09
Packaged: 2018-05-01 01:46:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5187491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DaerisDurin/pseuds/DaerisDurin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>My version of the Hobbit. An elf joins the company of Thorin Oakenshield.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. And Elvish Welcome

**Author's Note:**

> I own nothing though I wish I did.

Gandalf and the company of dwarves and a hobbit stood before Elrond and his company of elves.   
“Please come join my family for dinner. You must be tired.” The elvish lord said.  
“That is very kind but—“ Thorin was cut off by Gandalf who said:  
“Nonsense, we would love to stay. I very much like to see how your daughters are fairing. It has been a while since I have seen them.”  
“Very well, come this way please.” 

As the elves played quiet music in the background as the company ate. Kili was openly staring at the elvish maiden that was playing the harp. Bofur looked at Kili and then looked to see where he was staring. He raised his eyebrows when he saw Kili wink at the maiden. Kili turned to see Dwalin glaring at him.  
“Can’t say I fancy elf maidens. Too thin, high cheek bones, and not enough facial hair for me. Though that one isn’t bad.” He said nodding his head towards an elf with their back towards them.   
“That’s not an elf maid.” Dwalin said.  
Kili turned and looked. The elf turned around and sure enough it was a male. Those at their table started laughing.  
“Very funny.” Kili said his cheeks turning red.  
“Oh cheer up brother. Surely there is someone in Middle Earth who is manly enough to have your affections.” Fili joked.   
“Shut up!” Kili said grabbing some of the mash potatoes and smashing it into his older brothers face.  
This of course started a full on food fight. The dwarves did not notice Arwen coming in gracefully and her head held high. Gandalf, Elrond, and Thorin stood up when they saw her. Arwen embraced her father and Gandalf. She turned to face Thorin.  
“Master Durin, I want to welcome you to Rivendell. I hope that everything is up to your satisfaction.”  
“It is.” He said giving her a slight bow.  
“Good, I would hate for your lasting impression of elves to be that we are uncivilized.” She said with a twinkle in her eyes.  
Thorin blushed.  
“Arwen, where is your sister?” Elrond asked as they sat down to eat.  
“I do not know father. Last time I saw her, she was just coming back in from dealing with that orc party that was poking around our borders. Any ideas on why they were there?” Arwen asked cutting into her meat.   
“They were after our friends here. “  
“How dreadful! I hope that none of you were injured.” Arwen said looking at Thorin from across the table.   
“No my lady.” Thorin said.  
“That’s good. “   
“Aren’t you worried for her?” Balin asked popping a grape into his mouth.  
“I worry all the time but I have learned that she is a free spirit and that nothing I say can stop her from going out there and doing whatever she does. She has been shooting things before she could speak. Her grandmother was not a big fan of her learning how to fight, my mother, who basically raised the girls after my wife passed away, thought that it was un lady like but Daeris would have none of it.”  
“Get into much trouble does she?” Gandalf asked with a smile.  
“More than you know. Always up to something she shouldn’t be. One time, she came home with a warg pup and was determined to raise it. She trained it and they are inseparable pair those two.” He said.  
Another elf maiden came bounding up the stairs with black hair that came to her shoulder blades and Arctic cerulean eyes. She was tall and thin. She stroked the wargs head before taking her seat between Thorin and her father.   
“This is my youngest Daeris. Daeris this is Thorin Oakenshield, son of Thrain, son of Thor, and his companions.” Elrond said.  
Thorin gave the elf maiden a curt nod and she raised her eyebrows at the dwarf.   
“And of course you remember Gandalf.”   
“Gandalf, pleasure to see you always.”  
“As you my dear.”  
“I presume that you arrived uninjured after your little adventure today?”  
“Only scrapes and bruises father.” Daeris said reaching for the potatoes. Arwen rolled her eyes at her sister.  
“Father, the orcs were snooping around again. I don’t like it. I don’t know why they were here this time. No one was traveling in that area that the orcs would want to raid. I saw several figures in the distance as I was approaching the orc party but I didn’t get a good look. I would like to go back and have another look and see if I can find out who or what those figures were and what they were doing near our borders.”   
“There will be no need for that. I was just telling your sister that the orc party was after our friends here.”  
“Well that would explain a lot.”  
“And what is that suppose to mean?” Thorin asked turning to face the elf.  
“I don’t have to explain myself to you dwarf.” She said.

At the tables, Ori was holding a piece of lettuce up, looking at it suspiciously.  
“Just try it…just a mouth full. You’ll love it.” Dori said looking at him.  
“I don’t like green food.” Ori said putting it back.  
At the other end of Dwalin was picking through his bowl.  
“Where’s the meat?”  
Nori was salting his potatoes when the elf maiden who was flute stepped closer to him.  
“Change the tune why don’t you? I feel like I am at a funeral!” He said sticking his pinky into his ear.  
Oin who was sitting next to Nori asked:  
“Did someone die?”   
“There only thing to do lads!” Bofur exclaimed.  
With that, he stood up on the table and started to dance and sing.:

“There's an inn, there's an inn, there's a merry old inn  
beneath an old grey hill,  
And there they brew a beer so brown  
That the Man in the Moon himself came down  
one night to drink his fill.  
The ostler has a tipsy cat  
that plays a five-stringed fiddle;  
And up and down he saws his bow  
Now squeaking high, now purring low,  
now sawing in the middle.  
So the cat on the fiddle played hey-diddle-diddle,  
a jig that would wake the dead:  
He squeaked and sawed and quickened the tune,  
While the landlord shook the Man in the Moon:  
‘It’s after three!’ he said.”

All the dwarves started to sing and throw food at each other. The elves that were in the room looked at the dwarves with raised eyebrows. Arwen ducked as some mashed potatoes came flying her way.   
“Thirteen dwarves and a halfling strange traveling companions, Gandalf.” Elrond said taking a sip from his cup.  
“These dwarves are from the line of Durin. They are good decent folk. We are traveling to Erebor, to retake the mountain.”  
Arwen’s eyes went wide and Daeris started to put down her glass before looking at Gandalf and laughing at the idea of the mountain being retaken.  
“Retaking the mountain? Isn’t that suicide?” Arwen asked looking at Gandalf.   
“The dragon has been there long enough. It is time to take back Erebor.” Gandalf said.  
“I do not think that is a wise idea Gandalf.” Elrond said trying to silence his younger daughter’s laughter.  
“And why is that?” Thorin asked.  
“Because it is a suicide mission. The dragon still sleeps in Erebor, how would you suggest you kill the dragon? Only a black arrow can pierce his hide.” Elrond said.   
“I understand that but my people have been homeless for too long!” Thorin said.   
“Another bright idea from the dwarves. You should really get some kind of recognition for being the race that comes up with the stupidest ideas! Do you sit around your giant stone tables that are really too tall for you and say what kind of foolish ideas can we come up with today to ruin other people’s lives?” Daeris asked laughing again.  
“How dare you disrespect the line of Durin?” Thorin said standing up angrily  
Daeris stood up as well.  
“If your grandfather hadn’t hoarded all that gold then the dragon wouldn’t have come and your so called magnificent line wouldn’t be the laughing stock of all of middle earth!”  
“Don’t you dare blame this on my grandfather! He didn’t know what he was doing! He had dragon sickness! We lost not only our home that day but also our people! I lost both my birthright and my heritage in the battle!”  
“But at least you didn’t lose your mother because of someone else’s stupid mistake! And Erebor is not the only thing the line of Durin lost that day...they also lost the respect that they had.”  
With that Daeris pushed her chair away so it fell down and made a loud sound that echoed throughout the great hall. Everyone went silent and turned to look at them. She glared at Thorin once more before stalking off, the warg walked over to Thorin and growled at him before following behind her. She slammed the door after them and the hall was filled with silence. Elrond started to stand up but he stopped when he felt a gentle hand touch his shoulder. He turned to see his oldest motioning for him to sit down.   
“ I will handle this father. Stay here and entertain our guests. I think that I am the one that should talk to Daeris.”  
He nodded and sat back down.   
“Good evening master Durin, I shall see you at breakfast.”  
Arwen silently made her way silently out of the hall and gently closing the door behind her. 

Later on that evening, Gandalf and Elrond were walking around the gardens making small talk.  
“Is Daeris still having nightmares ?” Gandalf asked Elrond.   
“They have been increasing as of late. There is nothing that I have been able to do to stop them. It is almost as if the beast is trying to communicate with her and that is my concern. She has been touched by something dark Gandalf.”  
“Has she told you about what Smaug has been trying to tell her?”  
“I know she hasn’t told me everything but she has told me is that at first she was just getting images and what seemed to be flashbacks. Then they started to get worst. She would black out and it would seem as if he was taking over her mind and body. She would get more aggressive and angry. She would break stuff and hurt people. People would describe her eyes as serpent like. She would black out and we would later find her and she would have no memory of anything. Gandalf, I fear that this is her mother’s doing. Their mother had been dealing with dark magic for sometime and trying to communicate with all kinds of evil things while she was pregnant with Daeris. After Daeris was born, I saw a difference in my wife. She was darker more secretive. And there is something about darkness that have always interested Daeris, she loves staying up through the night. She enjoys the dark more than she does the day. Not only does she have powers over the elements but she can communicate with the creatures of the dark. There is nothing good that can come of this!”  
“Can she do it back to Smaug?” Gandalf asked.   
“I do not know. If she is able to, she has not told me.”   
“She is a special girl Elrond.”   
“She is Gandalf, She truly is.”   
“Elrond, there’s something I must ask of you.”  
“What’s on your mind old friend?”  
“I need an elf to accompany them to Mirkwood. You and I both know the hatred that runs through Thorin’s blood towards the Mirkwood king. I need someone to be there if Thorin ends up getting them into more trouble.”  
Elrond looked into the garden at his youngest that was sitting against the sleeping warg reading a book. He knew there that the choice that he was about to make was hard but he had seen visions of the future and he knew that he was making was right. He knew that his youngest was going to be part of the future of the line of Durin.  
“I can send my youngest daughter, I don’t like the idea due to the fact that her hatred for dwarves runs deep but still she could help them get through Mirkwood. Gandalf, my worst fear about entering that mountain is the darkness that is at Dul Guldur will become stronger without the dragon. That dragon is the only thing that is keeping the darkness from taking that mountain. If whatever is in Dul Guldur takes over that mountain, that side of middle earth will be lost. Gandalf you must be careful. I fear that Thorin will succumb to the Dragon sickness that has been passed down through the line of Durin.”  
Gandalf nodded. Both of them continued walking. 

The next morning, the all sat around the table enjoying breakfast.  
“Daeris, I have a favor that I need to ask of you.” Elrond said.  
“Yes father?”  
“I want you to accompany the dwarves to Erebor.”   
“May I ask why?”  
“They will be going through Mirkwood, and you know how the elves in that area can be…” Elrond said.  
She simply nodded before pushing away her breakfast.  
“Don’t we have a say in this? Seeing that is our quest to reclaim our home.” Thorin growled.  
Gandalf glared at Thorin.  
“Believe me master Durin, I don’t like the idea of my daughter going off on some quest with a bunch of dwarves that I just met, but there has been a fear that King Thranduil, is not a very kind elf now that his wife has passed especially when it comes to outsiders, and you master dwarf are an outsider and a dwarf at that. So it would do you good to have some sort of leverage when you are passing through his lands.” Elrond said.   
“I agree with Lord Elrond, you will need someone to help convince King Thranduil that you aren’t simply trespassers stomping around his kingdom.” Gandalf said.   
Thorin huffed.   
“Can she fight?” Dwalin asked.  
“Hand to hand or am I a pretty good shot?” Daeris asked.  
“Both.” Dwalin said.  
“I am the best shot in Rivendell and as to my hand to hand combat I am fairly good. A little rusty but I can hold my own.”  
“I would still like to test your abilities.” Dwalin said crossing his arms.   
Daeris rolled her eyes at the dwarf and mumbled under her breath something about the stupidity of dwarves. Elrond sighed and shook his head and wondered to himself if he was making the right decision when he chose for his dwarf hating daughter to go along with this band of vagabonds on a suicide quest to reclaim and giant pile of rock and some gold coins.

Later on, the company along with Lord Elrond, Gandalf, Arwen, and Daeris were standing in the practice field. There was an assortment of weapons lying on ground surrounding them.   
“Alright elf, I want to see what you’re made of before you join this company. We will start with our most inexperience fighter then work our way up. If you defeat all the opponents, then I would be proud to accept you into this company even if you are a tree shagging elf.”  
Daeris rolled her eyes  
“I would be deeply honored to be accepted into this group of traveling rug rats. Can we start now?” Daeris retorted.  
“Master burglar.” Dwalin said motioning for the hobbit to step forward.   
“What?” Bilbo squeaked.  
“You are our most inexperienced fighter so have at it. Make us proud!”  
Bilbo slowly inched forward and drew his letter opener. Daeris rolled her eyes and picked up two daggers. Bilbo made a rush towards her and she simply stepped out of the way and stuck her foot out and he tripped and landed on his face. She looked at Dwalin and raised her eyebrows. He nodded at her. He motioned for Ori to step up and go next. Ori huffed and pulled his pants up.  
“I am going to feel extremely bad if I hurt him.” Daeris said.   
Ori glared at her and shot at her with his slingshot. The small rock hit her in the shoulder. Daeris threw a dagger and it landed between Ori’s legs. He looked down at it and then looked up to see Daeris punching him in the face. He tumbled backwards and crawled back to the group. Dori helped him stand up and glared at Daeris.  
“Can I have real challenge now?”   
After several of the dwarves tried to defeat her, Kili stepped forward. He drew his sword. She stabbed her daggers into the ground and she picked up a longer sword. They circled each other for a while be fore she charged at him. He defended her attack. She grabbed another knife and hit his wrist. He groaned and dropped his sword. She smirked and placed her blade right below his jaw.  
“You may be pretty but you aren’t very smart. “ She whispered into his ear.  
She pushed him back and he fell on his backside. Fili frowned and ran at her. She was still facing Kili when she was thrown against the ground. She turned so she was on her back facing her attacker. She looked up to see Fili standing over her. She looked to see where her ankle was which was right between his legs. She smirked as she swiftly brought up and hit him in his family jewels. He grabbed his crotch and fell forward. She rolled over before he face planted into the ground that she was just laying on. She stood up and faced Dwalin.  
“How many more to go?”   
“Two more. Myself and Thorin.”  
She nodded. Dwalin grabbed both of his hammers and she grabbed two swords. He advanced forward and she slowly advanced as well. He swung at her and she ducked and punched him in the gut. He huffed and grabbed her wrist and tossed her to the side. She brushed her hands over her pants and glared at him. She picked up her swords that she had dropped on the way and she ran at him. He charged at her as well and swung at her with his axes. She jumped into the air and grabbed on to his shoulders . She hooked her legs around his shoulders and she tugged on his neck causing both of them to tumble to the ground. She held a knife under his neck. She stood up and dropped her swords. She sighed and rolled her head to the side. She heard her neck crack and she turned around to face her last opponent, Thorin Oakenshield. She hated dwarves with a passion. They were rude, prideful, and greedy little rats. And she hated them mostly because it was their greed that brought the dragon down on Dale and Erebor that day. It was also the day that her mother was killed. She still remembers that day like it was yesterday. Her mother and her traveled to Dale to meet some of her mother’s friends while her father and sister stayed behind because Arwen had lessons. She was out in the stables hiding in the hay bales from her mother when she heard the screaming and sound of a heavy wind. She peeked out of the small window to see what was going on when she saw the beast perched like a bird on top of the roof of the town hall. He turned and looked what she felt was straight at her. She quickly ducked and climbed down the ladder. She ran towards the place where her mother and her were staying in attempt to hide from the dragon. Her mother coming running out with her bag and reached for Daeris’s hand. Daeris saw the beast’s tail coming down and she quickly dropped her mother’s hand and jumped out of the way screaming for her mother to do the same. Daeris landed with a thump and watched in horror as her mother was grabbed by the claws of the beast and brought before the beast’s face. Her mother looked at the beast in the eye and muttered something under her breath. The dragon seemed to smirk at the elvish woman before taking a deep breath and blew fire on the woman. Daeris screamed as her mother was engulfed in flames. Her mother started to scream in agony as the flames burned her flesh. The dragon dropped the screaming woman, and slowly advanced towards Daeris. Daeris reached for her knife that she always kept in her boot. In hindsight it wasn’t the best weapon against a mighty dragon. She ran towards the beast, but Smaug simply knocked with back on his clawed fingers her against the wall of a nearby building. She looked up to see the dragon disappearing. She laid her head down again against the stone road and closed her eyes. She later woke up and several months had passed since that awful day. She had heard whispers of the final death count of that day. It was in the thousands and that wasn’t counting the injured or the missing. Elrond noticed that a dark shadow was about his youngest ever since he heard about what happened. He noticed that there was a hatred towards the dwarves. She became harden towards things that use to make her happy. She trained now not to defend but to kill. She was with drawn and spent long periods of time in the forest with the warg. Whenever there was a celebration, the youngest heir of Rivendell was not seen. She drew one of her long thin swords from where they were stuck in the ground and she faced Thorin. She glared at him. She charged at him and he drew up his sword to defend himself against the coming attack. She hit her blade against his and he with his free hand grabbed her wrist and squeezed her wrist so it forced her to let go of her sword. He pushed her back and she fell backwards. He came forward and she quickly stood up to face him. He circled around her for a few minutes before launching himself at her. She was knocked over again but this time she took his hair and yanked on it so it forced him to the side. He groaned in pain as he rolled over onto his back, she straddled his waist and took out a knife from her boot and she held it underneath his chin.   
“I win.” She whispered.   
She got up and and wiped her bleeding lip. She started walking away from the group and she tossed her knife to the side. Arwen watched her sister leave with a sad face and sighed. She too turned and left the field. Elrond nodded to the dwarves, Bilbo, and Gandalf before leaving as well. Thorin stood up and brushed off his pants.  
“I can’t believe I just got beat by a girl...” Kili said as they walked back down the grassy path leading towards Rivendell.   
“And an elf at that...” Fili said, still nursing his pride.   
A few steps behind the rest of the company, Thorin and Dwalin were talking.  
“I don’t like the idea of this elf coming with us on this quest.” Thorin said.  
“I don’t like the idea any better than you do. But Thorin, did you see her fighting skills? We could use someone like her if we ever, which we will, because we know that we are being hunted now, get into a hand to hand combat fight with an orc pack. Bilbo and Ori wouldn’t be able to defend themselves against Gundabad wargs. That is two less people to fight against the pack. And not to mention Balin and Dori who are still fierce as anything mind you but they are getting up there in age and aren’t as sharp as they use to be. That is four members of this company that would have a hard time fighting for hours on end.” Dwalin said.   
Thorin nodded and the brother-in-arms walked silently along the path. 

At lunch the company was sitting around the tables eating and talking about the coming of the quest. Arwen and her father were talking quietly between themselves. Arwen’s face was crestfallen and Elrond had a deep frown from that seem seemed to get deeper and deeper as Arwen kept talking. Gandalf looked increasingly worried as the two elves talked longer.   
Elrond sighed and sat up again and reached for his water.  
“There is nothing that can be done.”  
“Surely there is something that we can do to ease the pain father. The mark is hurting her more then ever now.” Arwen said.   
“Everything we have tried has only made it worse.” Elrond said.   
“But father--” Arwen started before Elrond cut her off.  
“Do you think that I like watching my youngest suffer from something that I have no power over?” Elrond snapped.  
“No father...” Arwen said bowing her head.   
Elrond sighed and reached over to grab her hand. Arwen quickly withdrew her hand and got up. Elrond looked to behind him to see his oldest graceful leave the room. Gandalf looked over to see the seat to the elf lord’s left and the seat to his right were empty. Gandalf moved over to talk to Elrond.   
“What is happening to my daughter old friend?” Elrond said.  
“I have no notion but maybe going on this quest will be good for her...”   
Elrond simply nodded and sighed again.  
The doors of the great were suddenly pushed up and made a loud bang that echoed through the hall. Everyone turned to see Daeris running up the stairs and she looked angry.  
“Do you think I am stupid? I know you saw what the future holds! And yet you still send me with the very dwarf that will cause my down fall! Do you have no love for me? Have I disappointed you that much that it has caused you to wish for me to have suffering?”   
Elrond stood up.  
“This is neither the time or place to discuss this Daeris.” He said trying to smooth over the raging elf.   
“You are afraid that he will hear of what the future holds aren’t you? And you are also afraid that everyone will know that the youngest of the house of Elrond has dark powers that not even the great lord of Rivendell can tame. I am who I am father. Dark and all. I have come to accept it and now you should too because there is no changing me.”   
With that, the youngest of the house of Elrond stalked off and slammed the door after her.   
“Friend, what have you seen of what is to come?” Gandalf asked.  
“My daughter is to fall in love with a dwarf, a dwarf that would bring her both great happiness and great sorrow. Gandalf, I know that my daughter must go on this quest, but it will change her a great deal.”  
“Who is this dwarf that you speak of?” Thorin asked.  
“I am afraid that it is not in anyone’s best interest for me to voice the name of this dwarf.” Elrond said looking at Thorin.   
Thorin frowned but said nothing.

Daeris was in her room getting ready for the quest. She walked over to the chest where she kept all of her clothes. She pulled out two pairs of tight black pants. She placed one on her bed and the other one she laid out on her chair. She got out two black undershirts and again placed one on her bed and the other one on her chair. She took out one dark green tunic and placed it on the bed. She sat down and laid her head on pillow. She sat up when she heard someone opening the door. She turned to see Arwen walking in. She scooted over when Arwen approached the bed. Arwen sat down on the bed and Daeris laid her head down on her sister’s lap. Arwen started running her fingers through her little sister’s hair.   
“I am afraid.” Daeris whispered.  
“There is no need for you to be. Father has seen your future, and you will live a full life. You will not meet your demise at the end of this quest.” Arwen said.   
“That is not why I am afraid. I am afraid that I will never return home, that I will be come some monster.”   
“You won’t be. You will save the line of Durin.”  
“You never said that I would come home.” Daeris said looking up at her sister.   
“Father said that you would be coming home but it wouldn’t be the same.”  
“What do you mean?”   
“He did not tell me that part. But have no fear my little dragon. You will be safe and sound and you will return home.”   
Daeris nodded.   
“Try and sleep. You have a big day ahead of you.”  
“I don’t think I will be able too. I am all nerves.”   
“Just close your eyes and relax.” Arwen said.  
Daeris closed her eyes and took in a deep breath before slowly letting it out.   
“Lay down your head and I'll sing you a lullaby  
Back to the years of loo-li lai-lay  
And I'll sing you to sleep and I'll sing you tomorrow  
Bless you with love for the road that you go  
May you sail far to the far fields of fortune  
With diamonds and pearls at your head and your feet  
And may you need never to banish misfortune  
May you find kindness in all that you meet

May there always be angels to watch over you  
To guide you each step of the way  
To guard you and keep you safe from all harm  
Loo-li, loo-li, lai-lay  
May you bring love and may you bring happiness  
Be loved in return to the end of your days  
Now fall off to sleep, I'm not meaning to keep you  
I'll just sit for a while and sing loo-li, lai-lay”  
Arwen sang softly. She looked down and her sister was sound asleep. She smiled and got up and placed a pillow underneath her sister’s head and a thin blanket on top of her before bending down and kissing her sister’s head.   
“I will see again on the Grey Shores.” Arwen said sadly.


	2. An Elvish Addition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All mistakes are mine

Early the next morning, the company, Bilbo,and Gandalf were getting their things together for their trip. Daeris was down in the stables grooming her horse one last time.   
“I’m afraid you won’t be coming on this adventure with me, though I wish you were. But don’t worry you will be cared for here and I will come back and we have many more adventures.”  
Daeris felt a some weight being pressed up against her knees. She looked down to see Cuan leaning against her legs. She smiled and turned and knelt down so she could hug the black wargs neck.   
“I’m going to miss you as well.”   
“Don’t worry, I will look after him.”   
Daeris looked up to see her sister. She stood up.  
“Make sure that Father won’t try to do away with him in the night?” She asked.   
“Of course. Cuan and I bonded. I will look after him until you return.” Arwen said with a smile.   
“Truly you are the best sister!” Daeris said giving her sister a hug.   
“I know.” Arwen said as she hugged her sister back tightly. “Here I have something for you.”  
Daeris let go of her sister and looked down. Arwen had a small package wrapped in a black cloth in her hand.   
“Mother wanted to give this to you on your wedding day so that you could give it to your husband but I think that this would be a better time then that.”   
Arwen handed Daeris the small package. Daeris carefully opened the package and and the middle of the red and black cloth was a silver dragon pendant that was on a silver chain. Daeris smiled when she saw it. She remembered when she saw it in Dale the day before the dragon came.   
“Here let me put it on you...” Arwen whispered.   
Daeris handed her the necklace before she turned around so her sister could put it on her. Arwen slipped it around her sister’s neck and she clasped the two sides together. Daeris touched the pendant as she felt the cool metal touch her skin. She turned around to face Arwen. Arwen sighed and smiled at her sister.   
“All grown up now...mother would have been proud.” Arwen said.  
Daeris smiled. Arwen hugged her sister tightly.  
“You better stay out of trouble. Don’t annoy the dwarves. And try to behave yourself” Arwen whispered into her younger sister’s ear.   
“Always.” Daeris said.   
Arwen broke the embrace and smiled softly at her.   
“Now the company of misfits as father calls them is waiting for you.”   
Daeris smiled. With one last hug to her horse and warg, Arwen and Daeris made their way to the main courtyard of Rivendell. Daeris pulled on her black shortened hooded coat. She then put on her pack and adjusted it so that it was tight against her back. As she was getting ready Arwen turned to the Thorin.  
“I hope that your quest is successful. I hope that you will come back and visit us again Master Durin.”  
He nodded and bowed. The rest of the company did the same.   
“Come along, we have much land to cover and not a lot of time to cover it.” Gandalf said.   
Daeris looked around for her father but noticed that he wasn’t in the group of elves that were seeing them off. She looked up to see him looking down at them from a window. She turned when she saw that he was not coming down to say goodbye. She took one last look at the place she called home, knowing that it would be a long time before she got to see it again. Arwen and her made eye contact and Arwen nodded at her and Daeris nodded back before turning to catch up with them.   
Bilbo glanced behind him to see if the elvish lady was indeed coming with them.   
“Don’t worry about her Bilbo, she will always be close. She will either be in front of us or behind us but never besides us or far from us. She will look out for us.” Gandalf said.   
“So a guardian spirit of sorts?” Bilbo asked.  
“Something like that.” Gandalf said.   
“I’ve read things about the elvish beliefs and is it true that they believe in spirits?” Bilbo asked.   
“Elves believe that each elf has their own guardian spirit depending on the mark that appears on their arm when they are a young child.”  
“Oh...” Bilbo said.   
The company traveled on until nightfall till they got to a mountain pass.  
“ We will stop here and rest until dawn.” Thorin said.   
They all stopped and unpacked things to start dinner. Daeris got on the edge and looked down. There was movement down below her but she could not make out what it was so she said nothing to the group.  
“This is not a safe place to stop. We must push on and find something with more cover. There are far worse things that live in these woods than orcs. We must move on.” Daeris said.  
“She is right, we are still too close to where orc band was seen, they could still be around.” Gandalf said.   
“We stay here.” Thorin said stubbornly.  
“Stupid dwarf...” Daeris muttered underneath her breath.  
He glared at her and she dropped her pack on the ground next to a large boulder and said  
“ I am going ahead to scout out a better place to stay the night.”  
“Bloody elves always thinking that they can do whatever they please!” Thorin said stomping off over to a rock and sat down.  
“Well this will be a longer journey than expected.” Balin said.   
“Aye, think those two will be fighting the whole way there?” Dwalin asked.  
“It is very likely that those two will fight every foot of the way there.” Balin replied shaking his head.   
“Well that won’t be very pleasant.” Bilbo said.  
“No it won’t be lad.” Balin said sitting down in the cave.   
“Do all dwarves and elves hate each other?” Bilbo asked.   
“No, there are some dwarves and elves that get along very nicely and all dwarves and elves got along before the dragon came. But after the dragon attacked and the king of Mirkwood turned his back on the line of Durin, word spread of it, and soon elves and dwarves were pitted against each other. The elves defending their kindred and the dwarves defending theirs. Each race’s pride got in the way and no one has decided to be the first one to let go of the bitterness of that day.”   
“Surely the king of Mirkwood had a good reason to turn his back on the the dwarves, I am sure that the elven king is a very honorable king who wouldn’t just turn on his allies the second he has a chance.” Bilbo said.   
“Well--” Balin began.  
“That elf has no right to be called king! He is nothing more than a dishonest greedy old hag who does nothing but sits around and drinks in his smelly old woods.” Thorin snapped.   
“One could say the same thing about your ancestor dwarf. The great Thrain sat in his mountain and all he did was horde gold until he brought a dragon upon Dale and his own kingdom. And while everyone else was running for their lives what was your grandfather doing? Worrying about his gold, to the point where his grandson had to come and drag him away and even then the old dirt bag was fighting to stay with his gold. What kind of king is that? A weak king!” Daeris said as she approached the camp.   
She tossed Bombur and Dwalin a couple of rabbits and some birds.   
“And what would you know about what happened that day elf?” Thorin asked.  
“I was there!I was there as the beast burned Dale and destroyed it. I was there as he massacred. I was there when the bell sounded and people started screaming. I was there when that man king tried to kill the beast but failed. I was there when the dragon killed my mother. And I was there when the dragon flew to the mountain. I was there when the Mirkwood king turned his army around. I was one of the hundred survivors from Dale. I stayed in Mirkwood for three years because I was too weak due to the amount of broken bones and burns I had.” Daeris said. “You may have lost your home but there is a chance that you can get it back but others lost everything and there is no way getting it back!”   
“And what exactly did you lose?” Thorin asked.   
“I was touched by the beast and forever scarred by him.” She said.   
The company all sat in silence as the watched the two glare at each other. Daeris was the first to break the stare as she turned and grabbed her pack and put it on. She took her weapons out climbed up the mountain in which the cave that the company was in was located. She sat on a small ridge which faced outwards and looked over the entire valley. She stared out at the valley and saw in the distance a small glimmer of lights that she knew was home. But then again...what was home? She knew that Rivendell was never really her home after she returned from Mirkwood. Her people were afraid of her due to monster she became when the beast took over her mind. Her father couldn’t even look at her without cringing at the thought of what she was or what she could become. Everyone that she knew thought that she was a mistake. And she was. King Thranduil kept her under close watch when she was at Mirkwood. She was not allowed to go anywhere without a guard. She looked down below at the dwarves who were all sitting quietly around the fire. The hobbit had long fallen asleep and the wizard was somewhere poking his nose in something that he should not be poking his nose in. Daeris laughed at the thought of them actually succeeding in this quest. They would barely make it past Mirkwood and then onto a dragon. What a comical idea! She shook her head at the foolish notion that they, a band of thirteen dwarves, a wizard, a hobbit, and an elf could successfully work their way to the Lonely Mountain, and if they survived that, defeat a dragon and live through that. And on top of all those ifs there is an angry orc and his band of smelly beasts chasing them! There are so many things that could go wrong on this quest that will probably go wrong. She laid her head against the cool rock and tried to catch a few hours of sleep before they set off in the morning.  
“Stupid dwarves.” She thought before she finally drifted off to sleep.

 

A few hours before dawn, Daeris was up scouting ahead before anyone was up.  
“Get up! We a lot of ground to cover and not a lot of time to cover it!” She snapped as she came back and stood in the middle of camp..  
The company began to stir slowly and Daeris rolled her eyes. Gandalf walked up to Daeris.  
“My dear, I must speak to you in private.”   
She nodded and the two walked a short ways away from the group.   
“I need you to lead them to the Misty Mountains near to where Mirkwood is. Something has come up that demands my attention.” Gandalf said quietly.   
“Gandalf those mountains are swarming with goblins and all other sort of weird creatures of the darkness that neither myself or you for that matter can defeat. Why are we going towards Moria? You know what lurks in the shadows of that place. Not even the bravest of warriors would go there. Not for all the gold in Middle Earth. Even a dwarfish army could not even get through the main gates. How do you expect us to get through the entire mine when an army couldn’t get passed the gate? ” She asked looking at the older wizard.   
“My dear, you and I both know that there are things at hand now that are not in our control. Going into Moria would be quicker than going through the mountains. And thirteen dwarves, a hobbit,an elf and a wizard can hide in places where an army cannot. You do know the way to Mirkwood don’t you?” Gandalf asked.   
She nodded.   
“But Gandalf, I do not see why we have to go through Moria instead of taking the chance to go through the mountains. I would rather face a goblin then an orc soldier bred in the mines of Moria for war and times such as these.”   
“Daeris, I know that you posses the power to see into the future much like your father, and I know what you saw, for your father warned me about it, but you must not let that get in the way of the quest. We need the line of Durin to rule that mountain again. No matter the cost of it. If evil were to take over that mountain all will be lost.”  
Daeris nodded again and turned to walk back to the group.  
“Daeris, you must to head to the mines.”  
“Of course Gandalf. We will meet you at the back entrance of Moria.”  
“Very good my girl.”  
The two walked back to the group.   
“Come on dwarves and hobbit! We are burning daylight.” Daeris said walking over to Fili and yanking off his blanket.   
The blonde dwarf sat up and glared at the elf. She rolled her eyes and dropped the blanket on his head.  
“What about breakfast?” Bombur asked sitting up.  
“We will stop to eat and rest later on but we must get off of this mountain.” Daeris said.   
The rest of the company packed up and started walking down the mountain. Thorin led the company and Daeris brought up the back. She turned to look at Gandalf and nodded. 

Once they got off the mountain, they were met with a wide open field. Daeris was now in the lead just in front of Thorin.   
“Has anyone noticed that Gandalf is gone?” Bilbo asked.   
“The wizard had a pressing matter that required his attention so I am to lead you to the Misty Mountains. There in the back entrance of Moria, we will go through the mines instead of going through the different mountain passes that would cause us to go through goblin land, and Gandalf thought that it was unwise to venture into enemy land.” Daeris said.   
Thorin frowned.  
“Does he not know that Moria is over run with orc filth?” Thorin snapped.  
“I brought that to his attention several times, but he still refused to change his plan. I pushed him in the matter for several minutes but he would not change his plan. Therefore we must stick to his plan of going through the mines. Maybe after his own little adventure, he will come to his senses and not make us go through those wretched mines.”  
“We would be killed if we went through those mines. Not even our armies could get through the gate. How does he expect us to get through the whole mine and survive?” Balin asked shaking his head.  
“I told the wizard that but he said that thirteen dwarves, a hobbit, an elf, and a wizard could hide where an army could not. But I still believe that it would not be the wisest thing to venture into a deep dark underground cave with only one way in and one way out.” Daeris said.  
“So why is he insisting on making us go the mines, if he knows that it is dangerous?” Bilbo asked.  
“Mister Baggins, why does that wizard do anything? Now if you all would please stop asking questions so I can think about which way is the best way for us to go.”  
“Did Gandalf say what was the matter that he needed to attend to?” Dori asked.   
Daeris stopped and rolled her eyes.  
“No, nor did I ask.” Daeris said.  
She was hoping there would be no more annoying questions from equally annoying dwarves.  
“So he just left us alone with you?” Fili asked.  
“Yes problem with that?” She asked glaring at the blond dwarf.  
“No not at all.” He replied.  
“Good.”   
The company had been traveling for sometime, when Daeris suddenly stopped.   
“What is it?” Thorin asked.   
“I don’t know...” She said looking for the object.   
She quickly drew her sword.   
“Orcs.”   
Everyone quickly drew their weapons.   
“What are orcs doing here?”   
“We stayed on that mountain too long. Their wargs got a hold of our scent.” Daeris said.   
“Can we out run them?” Bilbo asked.   
“Not these wargs. These are Gundabad wargs, they are hard to out run on Elvish horse. But no on foot, we would be taken over quickly and killed. We must fight them off if we want a chance of living.”  
The group formed a tight circle quickly and waited for the orcs to appear. Several did from all different sides. Thorin turned to see the elf muttering something underneath as she looked at the different wargs. More wargs started to appear this time with riders.   
“Kill all of them and bring me Thorin Oakenshield’s head.” The leader said.   
Daeris started muttering faster and slowly the wind started to pick up. As the wind picked up, the grass became like whips against the wargs’ legs. The trees were swinging so hard a few of them started to hit the ground, crushing everything beneath them.   
“RUN!” Daeris yelled over the noise. “Run towards the river!”  
Dwalin and Kili turned and killed the wargs in front of them and started running. The rest of the group followed them. Thorin and Daeris bringing up the rear. The group ran until they got to the edge of the river.   
“Cross it now!” Daeris said.   
The group crossed the river and were met with a thick forest.   
“Quickly into the trees. Go as high as you can!” Daeris said.   
They all climbed the trees and reached the top. They sat in the trees for sometime before the surviving wargs and their riders showed up. They crossed the river and stood for a few minutes under the trees for a few moments before going deeper into the forest. Daeris started whispering again and the wind started to pick up again. All the dwarves clung to their respective branches. The wargs then suddenly appeared and started sniffing around the trees. They then got whiff of something and they all howled then proceeded to run across the river into the mountains. The winds died down and the group waited in the trees for a few more moments before climbing down. Daeris was the first to hit the ground and she stood at the edge of the river before turning to the group and saying.  
“ Hurry up, we must get through the forest before they realize that we never went up that mountain pass. We have two days. It is going to take us much longer than that to get to somewhere safe.”   
They all nodded. They all started off in a jog so that they could make up for some lost time. They got to a clearing in the woods and Daeris stopped.  
“We will rest here for a little while before continuing.”  
“Do we have the time to stop?” Thorin said.   
“Only for an hour. We must not over exhaust ourselves because if we do need to turn and fight we will easily get killed because we are too tired and what kind of ending to a quest like this is that?” Daeris said looking at Thorin. “But light no fires. They will see the smoke from the mountains.”   
“How were you able to control those trees back there and the wind?” Bilbo asked.  
“Most of my family can control the elements. It comes with the Rivendell blood.” Daeris said.   
“Is it come sort of magic?” Bilbo asked.  
“I don’t know...I never really asked. All I know is that I was born with the ability among other things.” She said.   
The company all sat in a circle and talked quietly among themselves. Daeris looked around before creeping quietly into the woods. Thorin looked around for the elf and frowned when she was nowhere in sight. The company drew their weapons when they heard a screech further into the woods. They could hear clashes of metal against metal before another screech. Then there was silence. They heard sticks being cracked like they were being stepped on. They all prepared to fight but lowered their weapons when they saw Daeris coming through the trees dragging something rather large thing behind her. She stopped and threw the thing down against the ground. The company saw that it was an orc. They all drew their weapons again and were prepared to kill it. Daeris started stacking wood on the pile before lighting it.   
“I thought that you said that we weren’t suppose to light a fire just in case the orcs saw the smoke from the mountains.” Kili said.  
“Silence dwarf.” Daeris said taking out one of her swords and laying the blade in the fire.   
Kili glared at her. After a few minutes of waiting, Daeris took her sword out of the fire and turned to the bound and gagged orc.   
“You will tell me why you and that band of maggots were tracking my companions and I or I will burn you so even your ugliness won’t be recognized.” Daeris spat. “I will remove the gag and if you so much as make a sound that isn’t telling me what you are doing tracking us, I will separate your hideous head from the rest of you understand me?”  
The orc nodded.  
“Good.” Daeris said as she took out the gag.   
“Now why are you tracking us?”  
“There is a price on the Durin scum heads. We were sent to bring their heads to my master.”  
Daeris turned to face the company.  
“He seeks to end the line of Durin! The age of the orc is upon you! There is no hope for you! Dul Guldur will raise again. My master grows stronger everyday. Soon, you will be dead. My master will make sure of it.”  
“Who is your master?” Daeris asked.  
“The pale one.” the Orc said.   
Daeris turned back around and with one swift movement separated the orcs head from his body.   
“Why did you do that?” Thorin asked. “He could have told us more!”  
“He told me everything I needed to know. We must not linger here any longer. Where there is one scout, there are always more.” Daeris said.   
“What do we do with the body?” Fili asked.   
“Leave it.”   
“Won’t it make a trail though?” He asked.  
“It doesn’t matter. We need to leave now.” Daeris said.   
She grabbed her bag and put it on as she starting walking further into the woods. Thorin huffed before grabbing his bag as well and following the elf. The rest of the company was soon to follow. Bilbo hurried to catch up with the she-elf.   
“Lady Daeris, who was the orc referring to when he said that pale one.”  
“The pale one is one of the foulest creatures to ever grace Middle Earth with it’s horrid presence. And has been an enemy of the line of Durin for a very very long time Mister Baggins.” Daeris said starting the climb up a hill.   
“Should we not tell Thorin about this thing that seems to want him, Fili and Kili dead?”  
“Mister Baggins, Thorin Oakenshield already has a lot on his mind and if we were to tell him about this specific orc then he would have us turn back and find the thing and fight it! Now are you prepared to die for one dwarf’s revenge?” Daeris said looking down at Bilbo.   
He shook his head.  
“Then I suggest you keep your mouth shut and speak no more of it.” She snapped.   
She stopped at the edge of the cliff   
“We must push on.” Daeris said.  
“We must rest. We have been jogging almost running most of the day. We need to rest.” Thorin said.   
“We can’t stop here. There is no cover, and by the look of the clouds, it is going to rain and a bad storm at that. We need to find some shelter. There should be a system of caves just at the base the mountains. We can stay there before making our way to Moria.” Daeris said.  
“How far away are the caves?” Thorin asked.  
“We will be there before sundown.” Daeris replied.  
The group pushed on slowly through the rocky paths. She looked behind her to see Dwalin carrying his own pack and trying to get Balin to give his to Dwalin as well. The older dwarf refused but after some minutes of Dwalin yanking at it before the older dwarf gave it up. Daeris turned back around and looked up to the sky, the clouds were getting darker. She huffed and started climbing down the hill. There was a rocky path leading up to some jagged rocks that they would then climb up and then climb down to get to another rocky path that will lead around the mountain and they would hopefully end up near a small lake and a secret entrance that hopefully the dwarves know where it is. But then again, with dwarves one can never trust their memory unless it was something to do with revenge and hating people. Then they will remember every single little detail of that event. She sighed. At the pace they were going, they would not get there before sun down. And this is one place she wouldn’t want to get stuck in these mountains when it was dark. They closer they got to the mountains, the more jagged rocks appeared. They reached a little clearing that was surrounded on all four sides with tall jagged rocks. There was a little path in front of them that led over the rocks.  
“We will stop here for the night. It is no use traveling in the dark stumbling around hoping not to fall and killing ourselves. At first light we will continue.” Daeris said.   
“Two must be on guard at all times.” Thorin said. “Fili and Kili you take the first watch. Wake another two in four hours. “   
The two youngsters nodded. Dwalin and Bofur gathered sticks from the surrounding area. They came back to to center of the group and dropped the sticks. Bombur started cooking dinner and the group sat around the fire. Daeris was sitting by herself on the other side of the fire across from Thorin. He looked up at her and she was staring intently into the fire. When Bofur offered her food, she shook her head.   
“You should eat. We have been on the road for four days now, you have only eaten once.” Thorin said.   
“I do not need a lot of food to sustain my strength. There are others in the company that need the food more than I do.” Daeris said. “But thank you for looking out for me.”   
He nodded. Bombur frowned when he observed the elf. She was lean as a blade of grass. If a dwarf were to sit on her, she break into two. Of course that would mean that the dwarf would have to be brave enough to even think of the idea of sitting on the elf. Which would would not be a wise idea. Fili and Kili were sitting on the outskirts of the camp watching for any sign of evil things lurking in the shadows. In the far distance, Daeris heard a horn sound then several others joined it. Fili and Kili heard it to for they stood up and rushed back to the company.   
“What’s going on?” Bilbo asked standing up.   
“We heard horns north east from our location.” Kili said.   
“There they are again. They are getting closer.” Fili said.  
“Put out the camp fire.” Daeris said.   
“We can not fight in the dark.” Thorin said.   
“The fire will draw that ever it is closer to our location. There are several caves that go into the mountain. We need to go in there now.” Daeris said.   
“We can not win if we are cornered.”   
“We can not win against an enemy that thrives in the darkness. We would have no chance. If we get to the cave and we are deep enough in the cave. It may not find us.” Daeris said.   
Thorin looked at the elf for several moments before nodding. The company quickly grabbed their things and put out the fire. It was a short sprint to the caves. Daeris, Fili, and Kili brought up the rear. They run deep into the heart of the cave. They reached a dead end which went to the left and to the right. Daeris, Fili, and Kili were along on one side of the cave and the rest of the company were on the other side. Daeris looked across to see Thorin staring at her. She glared at him and he pointed up. She looked up to see several cocoons above her head. She made a disgusted face and faced Thorin again. They heard something coming the tunnel and stop about halfway down the tunnel. Thorin motioned for them to join them on the other side of the tunnel. She motioned back to them to wait until whatever it was in the tunnel had left. He glared at her and motioned again for them to come over to the other side. She glared at him back and motioned that they were going to stay right where they were. Thorin and Daeris went back and forth like this for several moments, they stopped when they heard the thing leaving the tunnels. Daeris, Fili, and Kili made a mad dash across the cave to join the others.   
“Next time you do not disobey me! I am the leader of this company!” Thorin exclaimed.   
“I am not part of this company! My duty to get you to Mirkwood and that is it! I do not take orders from you!” Daeris said bending down so she was face to face with the dwarf. “I answer to no one especially an exiled king with no home and no crown.”   
She stood up straight again and then started walking out of the cave again. The company stood in silence for a while before Thorin made the first move and made his way out of the cave. Daeris was already walking along the path that led to mountains. Bilbo jogged to catch up with the elf.   
“Why do you hate dwarves so much?” Bilbo asked.  
“I hate dwarves because they are a selfish and greedy race who do not care about anything except for their gold and their jewels.” Daeris said.  
“Some could say the same thing about elves. Except for the gold and jewels part. You rarely ever hear about elves interfering with the things of any other race.”   
“We do that because we think about our own people first. If the cost outweighs the reward then we do not get involved.”   
“But what about when the dragon came? Thranduil turned his back on his allies when they needed him most.” Bilbo argued.  
“Is that what that dwarf has been telling you? That Thranduil turned his back on the dwarves? Thranduil turned back because he knew that no army no matter how big it is can defeat a dragon. He saved the lives of his people that day and he helped countless others but the dwarves were too stubborn and prideful to ask for help.” Daeris snapped. “He turned around because of me. He heard that my mother and I were down there and he wanted to make sure that we were okay. He turned around to safe me. My mother was already dead when he got there but I was still fighting for my life. He took me back to Mirkwood and healed me...well what he could heal.”   
Daeris started walking faster and Bilbo was left to wait for the rest of the dwarves to join him. Behind him, Thorin was stomping up the mountain side. Fili and Kili followed close behind them. Dwalin and Balin were walking behind the two heirs, followed by the sons of Ri and Bombur, Bofur, and Bifur brought up the rear. Daeris was already half up mountain and Thorin was just starting to climb. Daeris looked behind her and sighed. At this rate, they would reach the lake by tomorrow morning. They were suppose to reach it tonight. She continued to walked up the mountain. She stop when she reached a flat surface where she could see the lands beyond. She huffed when she saw that they were on the wrong side of the mountain pass. She walked to the edge of mountain and peered over. It was a sheer drop and she couldn’t see the bottom. She huffed again and waited for the rest of the company to join her. One by one the all reached where Daeris was waiting.   
“Took you lot long enough.” She growled.   
“Not all of us can climb as you do elf.” Dwalin snapped back.   
“That has come quite apparent.” She said.   
She turned back to the mountains behind her.   
“There lies Moria. One of the greatest dwarf kingdoms, well at least in you dwarves’ opinion. Long has it been filled with orcs and other creatures of the deep. No one has entered and has come out to tell the tale.”   
“And we have to go through that?” Bilbo asked.  
“Yes Mr. Baggins for it is the quickest way to get through these mountains. It will hopefully only take us three days once we are in Moria. Whereas if we were going to go the somewhat safer but longer route around, it would take at least a week. And the company can not afford to waste that much time.”

They started climbing again. About halfway through the day, the sky darkened and it started to drizzle. They kept climbing through it. About halfway through the climbing the rain started to get heavier and heavier. The wind started to pick up.   
“Should we find shelter?” Bilbo shouted.  
“It is just a little storm. Nothing major. We can still push on.” Thorin yelled over the wind.  
“For once I agree with the hobbit! This storm can only get worse!” Daeris shouted back.  
“We push on!” Thorin shouted.   
“Do you want us all to die?” She yelled back.


End file.
